TOP FLEMISH SUMMER EXPERIENCE
Every animal has its own story TEXT: FRANK VAN LIESHOUT | PHOTOS: DE ZONNEGLOED
Meet more than 120 species of wild rescue animals who have been given a new home at De Zonnegloed, Europe’s premier wildlife sanctuary. Situated right in the middle of the triangle between Ostend, Dunkirk and Lille, De Zonnegloed covers around 17 acres of Flemish countryside housing more than 350 wild rescue animals. “We look after a wide variety of wild rescue animals from all over the world,” says De Zonnegloed’s founder Karel Ackaert, “ranging from bears, apes, camels and llamas to lizards and monitors, snakes and spiders, and birds of prey. And soon we will also be welcoming a pair of lions, two leopards and a puma.” Each of these animals has their own story, but what they have in common is that 82 | Issue 66 | June 2019
most of them suffered traumatic experiences and severe maltreatment before they were rescued and found a home here at De Zonnegloed. “The animals come from private homes, circuses, laboratories, zoos that need to close, illegal trade or breeding farms or other places where they were often kept in appalling circumstances or where funds had run out to take proper care of them,” Karel explains. “When animals first arrive here, they are often underfed, injured and traumatised. But the good news is that we can usually win back their trust and nurse them back to a reasonably healthy condition, and that they can stay here in safe surroundings for the rest of their lives.”
Animal welfare Karel set up De Zonnegloed in 2008 together with his wife Lieve De Busscher.
“My background is not in animal care at all, I was actually a banker,” he smiles. “Purely from our love for animals and a mission to educate about treating animals and the natural world with respect, we set up a children’s farm with an educational programme based around animal welfare.” Soon, Karel and Lieve came into contact with rescue centres housing maltreated and abandoned exotic animals. “We were really deeply distressed about the plight of these animals, so we decided to take action and start welcoming exotic species on our farm as well.” Slowly, the farm grew from housing a few species to the 121 they now provide a warm and happy home for. This meant building safe and spacious enclosures for